Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center Honors 102-Year-Old Morgantown WWII Veteran

Sgt. Francis Dalton, who served in the Army during WWII, is a Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart recipient that now utilizes the VA for his healthcare needs. 

LAJVAMC Executive Director Barbara Forsha presented Sgt. Dalton with a letter from VA Secretary Dennis McDonough thanking him for his service to our nation.

 “Our leadership has chosen ACCESS as our motto – Assuring Care, Compassion, and Excellence for your Service and Sacrifice,” Ms. Forsha told Sgt. Dalton, as she presented him two challenge coins – one from the Secretary of the VA and one from LAJVAMC. “You are always welcome to reach out to me directly to ensure we are living up to that promise.”

Michael White, the LAJVAMC Chief of the Center for Development and Civic Engagement, also presented Sgt. Dalton with a Quilt of Valor during the visit. Sgt. Dalton also welcomed Taylor Ribic, Matt Poling, and Bessie Farley, of the LAJVAMC Advanced Medical Support team that will be assisting him during his visits to the Morgantown Community Based Outpatient Clinic and main facility in Clarksburg. The Advance Medical Support team also presented Sgt. Dalton with and American Flag and a WWII Veteran baseball cap.

Sgt. Dalton enlisted in the U.S. Army in Feb. of 1942, motivated by the attack on Pearl Harbor just months before. “After reporting to Ft. Leonard Wood, I was sent overseas, and stopped in Hawaii on the way,” he explained to the group. “The ships were still sticking out of the water and crews were still pulling out the bodies of the men who were killed there.”

After serving 36 consecutive months overseas, Sgt. Dalton returned to West Virginia and resumed coal mining. After retiring from the mines, he started a family farm which he worked until retiring a second time. Today he attributes his long life to eating healthy, but still enjoying a pancake breakfast on the weekends with his friends.